Round 7 Review: Brisbane’s lead reduced to one point

Brisbane Roar hold a slender one-point advantage over a cluster of clubs after seventh round action in the Hyundai A-League took place across the penultimate weekend in November.

Brisbane required an equaliser twenty minutes from time from “Supersub” Henrique to secure a 1-1 draw with Melbourne City, who silenced the 10,812 fans at Suncorp Stadium two minutes into the second half courtesy a Harry Novillo strike.

That goal stemmed from a blunder by Brisbane goalkeeper Jamie Young, who nearly gifted Melbourne a goal in the first half as well. Just as well for him that Thomas Broich is a team-mate – the pass he produced to set up Henrique’s leveller was right out of the top drawer.

That result allowed Brisbane to creep ahead of Melbourne Victory by a point, the reigning champions having kicked off the round by overcoming Central Coast Mariners 2-1 in front of 16,669 fans at AAMI Park.

Two moments of magic in three minutes from Guilherme Finkler delighted the natives inside the first twenty minutes of play, the second of them another of the exquisite free-kicks in which the Brazilian specialises. Matt Sim’s last-minute strike was of consolation value only to the visitors.

Western Sydney Wanderers moved level with the reigning champions after overcoming Wellington Phoenix 2-1 in front of 14,426 fans at Pirtek Stadium, where a helter-skelter opening twenty minutes saw both teams score and the woodwork take a battering.

Michael McGlinchey’s early free-kick for the visitors was responsible for that, but Wests’ response saw them opening the scoring through Federico Piovaccari in the ninth minute, a strike cancelled out by a rare Manny Muscat goal nine minutes later.

Half-time substitute Alex Rufer hit the post for Wellington around the hour mark in a match which saw the home team enjoy the better of the exchanges, and they finally gained reward for doing so five minutes from time when Mark Bridge struck from a corner to earn Wests all three points.

That win allowed them to leapfrog Sydney FC, a result of the early season pace-setters being held to a scoreless draw by Perth Glory at NIB Stadium, as 6,976 fans braved the stifling mid-thirties temperatures which contributed greatly to the dearth of creativity throughout the contest.

That result was replicated at Coopers Stadium on Sunday evening, with Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets sharing the spoils in a match which saw the bottom-placed side frustrated by Mark Birighitti’s saves for the visitors.

Sydney and Wellington kick off eighth round action on Thursday evening at Allianz Stadium, twenty-four hours before Melbourne City and Perth square off at AAMI Park.